Lightsphere power buy in Canada?

03/03/2006 05:35:26 PM · #1

Like many, I am interested in buying a Lightsphere from Gary Fong. However, for us in Canada, we are out of luck since the only shipping option offered by Gary Fong is a costly 2 days shipping. The lightsphere cost 48$ and the shipping is 45$ !!!. This doesn't make sense buying 1 item with such shipping cost. The cost per item decrease as you buy more Lightsphere. The cost per item would be:

1 = 93$
2 = 72.50$
3 = 66$
4 = 62.50$
5 = 61.20$
10 = 55.50$
All US $

So if we could get at least 3 people in Canada (Montreal region would be best since we can arange for local pickup) I would be willing to place a single order to break out the shipping cost. Also, there will be custom duties and taxes that will have to be divided between the buyers (this amount would not be known before I receive the package). If you are not in the Montreal region, I could ship the Lightsphere to you; the shipping cost of Canada Post would be much less than 45$ US.
Of course, I would require the full payment of each buyer via Paypal before I place the order. Once I received the items, I will calculate the custom duties and taxes (and shipping cost if need be) remaining to be paid by each buyer. A second payment via Paypal would be expected before you could pickup or I ship the Lightsphere.

If someone has a better way of doing this I would be willing to participate instead of organising this power buy myself.
If you are willing to participate, PM me and I will get back to you when engough people are in; the more the better.

Note that above price are in US $.

03/03/2006 05:52:13 PM · #2

Sounds like a great idea Francois and I may be interested. I have to ask however if you have considered Canada Customs? They could possibly intercept the shipment and add duties. That could be very costly for you.

03/03/2006 07:25:16 PM · #3

I thought of that. Gary Fong uses UPS. UPS will handle Canada custom paperwork and they charge for it; around 25$ from past experience. Add to that federal and provincial taxes. This will be added to the price and diveded between the buyer; that's why I expect a second payment for these fees since I can't know the exact amount until package gets delivered.

So basically, let say we have 10 people on board, all of them will have to send me 55.50US$ first. Then, when I got the package, each buyer will be required to send payment for an equal portion of custom duties and sales taxes. If a buyer needs shipping, that will be added to his required payment.

For the sake of this example, let assume the US conversion is 1.14$, UPS brokerage fees are 25$C and of course GST and QST (Quebec sales tax) for a 10 people order:
The cost breakdown is:
Lightsphere: 63.27$C + taxes = 72.76$ each
UPS brokerage fees: 25$C + taxes = 28.75$ / 10 = 2.88$C each

grand total: 75.64$C each

Message edited by author 2006-03-03 19:37:07.

03/03/2006 11:01:41 PM · #4

I don't know if you have ever considered this as an option, but I have a lot of the purchases I make in the USA shipped to the UPS store in Ogdensburg NY, for a fee of $5.00USD.

I simply pick the items up at the UPS store, and declare them at the border. As long as I have a receipt, I pay the PST and GST on the value of the items and voila........DONE. The nice thing about this is that I do not have to pay any additional handling fee to any brokers.

If you are interested in doing that... let me know, and I can give you the address of the UPS store in Ogdensburg, NY and would even pick these items up for you.

Have a great day.

Ray

03/04/2006 09:27:37 AM · #5

bump

03/04/2006 11:24:18 AM · #6

I contacted //www.cameracanada.com a few days ago to let them know about the product but the owner happened to be away at the PMA show in Orlando at the time. The person who responded to my email seemed impressed with the product and promised to pass the information on to the owner upon his return. With their buying power, they may be able to offer it at an even better price. I think I'm going to wait and see and will be following up with them. If there's enough interest shown, they could take a serious look at stocking the item.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/04/2006 01:38:41 PM · #7

Originally posted by orussell:

Just so you know... Canada Customs will charge you $5.00 to process your package, then charge you the PST & GST, assuming the product falls under the Free Trade Agreement.

As I indicated in my previous submission, you might consider having these items shipped to the Ogdensburg, NY UPS store. I would be more than happy to pick these up, go through customs and forward them on to you.

Ray

bucket

Canon EOS-30D

03/04/2006 01:51:07 PM · #8

Originally posted by RayEthier:

Originally posted by orussell:
Sounds like a great idea Francois and I may be interested. I have to ask however if you have considered Canada Customs? They could possibly intercept the shipment and add duties. That could be very costly for you.

Just so you know... Canada Customs will charge you $5.00 to process your package, then charge you the PST & GST, assuming the product falls under the Free Trade Agreement.

As I indicated in my previous submission, you might consider having these items shipped to the Ogdensburg, NY UPS store. I would be more than happy to pick these up, go through customs and forward them on to you.

Ray

Ray,
how do you know if an item falls under the free trade agreement?
lenses? I mean U.S. prices are noticeably cheaper..Canada Camera charges approx. 100-150 more for a Sigma 10-20mm, even after I factor in the exchange..

03/04/2006 02:11:20 PM · #9

Originally posted by RayEthier:

OK. I'm in if Francois wants to go this route and we get enough participants. I'd be interested in the LSIIPJ plus dome to fit a 420EX. I'll be watching this thread to see what kind of response we get. Feel free to PM me. Thanks for the offer Ray, BTW.

Owen

03/04/2006 02:12:17 PM · #10

Originally posted by bucket:

Originally posted by RayEthier:

Originally posted by orussell:
Sounds like a great idea Francois and I may be interested. I have to ask however if you have considered Canada Customs? They could possibly intercept the shipment and add duties. That could be very costly for you.

Just so you know... Canada Customs will charge you $5.00 to process your package, then charge you the PST & GST, assuming the product falls under the Free Trade Agreement.

As I indicated in my previous submission, you might consider having these items shipped to the Ogdensburg, NY UPS store. I would be more than happy to pick these up, go through customs and forward them on to you.

Ray

Ray,
how do you know if an item falls under the free trade agreement?
lenses? I mean U.S. prices are noticeably cheaper..Canada Camera charges approx. 100-150 more for a Sigma 10-20mm, even after I factor in the exchange..

I think these items do falls under the free trade agreement. You don't have any special taxes applied to these items beside PST & GST. However, you have to pay a 5$ handling fee since you are actually importing goods. This 5$ handling fee is charged by Canada Post when the package is carried by regular mail. However, if UPS or Fedex or any other carrier is carrying the package, they charge something like 25$ for filling in the custom paperwork for you (I guess it's a favor :( ).

03/04/2006 02:14:55 PM · #11

Originally posted by orussell:

Ok, then this makes us officially two on the list at this time.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/04/2006 02:16:37 PM · #12

Actually, the $5.00 fee is collected by Canada Post for Revenue Canada Customs and Excise.

I am NOT suggesting you have these delivered by UPS to Canada, since if you do that you will incur brokerage fees. What I am suggesting is that you have the item shipped to the UPS Store in Ogdensburg NY where I could pick them up for you and either mail them to you or bring them to Montreal the next time I am there.

Should you wish to go this route, simply PM me and I can give you my phone number and other details.

Regards,

Ray

jtf6agent

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

03/04/2006 02:21:19 PM · #13

Can't someone in the U.S. buy them here for you and then ship them and say they are homemade cookies going to grandmas or something?

03/04/2006 02:25:35 PM · #14

Originally posted by jtf6agent:

Can't someone in the U.S. buy them here for you and then ship them and say they are homemade cookies going to grandmas or something?

Most certainly they could.... and when the nice customs agents look in the box, you just lost all your cookies... and then they give you a fine to boot... Not a good idea.

Ray

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

03/04/2006 02:28:21 PM · #15

Originally posted by jtf6agent:

Can't someone in the U.S. buy them here for you and then ship them and say they are homemade cookies going to grandmas or something?

Are you voluntering :) ?
I don't think it would be necessary to try avoiding custom. But just having them shipped by USPS instead of UPS would save us a lot of money... I am talking about 45$US for UPS shipping and a 25$C UPS brokerage fee.

Message edited by author 2006-03-04 14:54:35.

rwouthuis

Canon EOS-40D

03/04/2006 02:33:12 PM · #16

I'm very interestd in getting a Lightsphere II Inverted Dome system to fit a Canon 420EX. I like Ray's idea of getting them shipped to NY and save a little if he is willing to help out like that. Please feel free to PM me.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/04/2006 02:46:24 PM · #17

We are 3 officaly interested people on this power buy at this moment.

jtf6agent

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

03/04/2006 02:59:29 PM · #18

If you want I can purchace them here and ship them to you. I'll toss a birthday card in there and wrap it so if they open it it shouldn't be a problem.

03/04/2006 03:04:52 PM · #19

Originally posted by jtf6agent:

If you want I can purchace them here and ship them to you. I'll toss a birthday card in there and wrap it so if they open it it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks, that's appreciated. This will definately help reduce the overall price the the Lightsphere. Do you have any idea what would it cost to ship a single Lightsphere to, say Montreal, using USPS?

Thanks again

03/04/2006 05:03:05 PM · #20

bump

03/04/2006 05:24:48 PM · #21

Originally posted by fplouffe:

Originally posted by jtf6agent:
If you want I can purchace them here and ship them to you. I'll toss a birthday card in there and wrap it so if they open it it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks, that's appreciated. This will definately help reduce the overall price the the Lightsphere. Do you have any idea what would it cost to ship a single Lightsphere to, say Montreal, using USPS?

Thanks again

Perhaps I was not abundantly clear the first time I mentioned it... If yoiu have things shipped in Canada from an American supplier, your will incur brokerage fees.......which for the most part are very expensive.

Stated succinctly... If you want something..........just let me know what you want...I will pay for it and you can pay me what it cost.

Just leave me a message.

Ray

03/04/2006 05:27:01 PM · #22

Sorry... I forgot to add that since I spent 30 years in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, I am not about to embark on anything that is remotely close to being illegal.

Ray

03/04/2006 06:40:24 PM · #23

Originally posted by RayEthier:

Originally posted by fplouffe:

Originally posted by jtf6agent:
If you want I can purchace them here and ship them to you. I'll toss a birthday card in there and wrap it so if they open it it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks, that's appreciated. This will definately help reduce the overall price the the Lightsphere. Do you have any idea what would it cost to ship a single Lightsphere to, say Montreal, using USPS?

Thanks again

Perhaps I was not abundantly clear the first time I mentioned it... If yoiu have things shipped in Canada from an American supplier, your will incur brokerage fees.......which for the most part are very expensive.

Stated succinctly... If you want something..........just let me know what you want...I will pay for it and you can pay me what it cost.

Just leave me a message.

Ray

Thanks for the generous offer Ray. It definately seems to be the best route. I will let this thread live a couple more days to see if other are interested.

Just for my understanding, if something gets in Canada from USPS, from past experiences, all you have to pay is the 5$ Canada Post handling fee. And sometimes, depending on the package size I guess, it gets treated as regular mail and you avoid the 5$.

03/05/2006 12:03:57 AM · #24

bump